[CA] [CA11] Chart compatibility for A65

[whidbeyben]

My A65 chartplotter/sounder combo came with a CF cartridge with coverage of US coastal waters, but I need coverage for Vancouver Island and Puget Sound. Navionics sells a Canada and Alaska CF cartridge with the coverage I need, but their compatibility table does not list the A65. It does list the A50, A55, and A70. Does the A65 use the exact same cartridges as these other A series Fishfinder/GPS combo units, or is there some reason why the A65 is specifically not compatible with the current Navionics+ cartography on CF? Thank you for any help. The A65 PN E33023, SN E33020-07060202.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum whidbeyben,

Unfortunately, the A60 and A65 Chartplotters and Chartplotter /Fishfinders are no longer supported. These displays were designed for use with Navionics Silver chart cards, but also functioned with Navionics Gold and HotMaps chart cards available during the period when the A60 and A65 Chartplotters and Chartplotter /Fishfinders. Should the function like the A/C/E-Series Classic MFDs, then they may also be compatible with Navionics+ chart card which have been erased and have then been populated with no more than 2GB of chart data using the Navioncs Chart Installer computer program offered by Navionics. At last notification from Navionics, relatively few Navionics+ CF chart cards remain within their inventories. Most of these have been distributed to West Marine and Radar Marine ((360) 733-2012). Radar Marine offers a service to erase the Navionics+ chart card's contents and then populate it with cartography for the geographic are where the vessel will be operated.

[whidbeyben]

Thank you for your suggestions. I did contact Radar Marine, and we did try modifying a Navionics + cartridge by deleting all the unnecessary cartography, reducing it to 1.46GB.

Unfortunately, even though the A65 is running the latest firmware (V2.28), it did not recognize the cartridge. So it looks like a dead end unless I can somehow find that Vancouver Island Navionics Gold cartridge somewhere. I guess it’s time to shop for a new chart plotter.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

You're welcome.